Catching Up

As predicted, dragonflies have been steadily emerging from the deep. I’ve seen numerous Common Whitetails and Common Baskettails, fresh out of their nymphal skins, fly off to a safe place to further dry and harden before starting their life cycles anew; feeding, mating, and ovipositing in the Wetlands.

A female Common Whitetail waits for her exoskelton and wings to fully harden before taking on the world around her (3/24/12).

Hatchling Yellow-bellied Sliders continue to be seen hiking down the paths and trails of the Museum heading for the Wetlands or other suitable bodies of water in which to take up residence.

Ranger Kristin holds a tiny Yellow-bellied Slider before releasing it into the U-shaped pond next to “Take Off” in Catch the Wind. The Turtle was spotted among the Pickerel Weed growing in the pond. It was picked up in order to photograph and promptly returned to the pond (3/24/12).

After seeing a Cooper’s Hawk the previous week, another (probably the same bird) was observed soaring over the Wetlands on 23 March. Does this mean that they are nesting in the woods near the Train Tunnel again this year?

Are Cooper’s hawks nesting here once again, for a fifth year?

And finally, Gus, Yona, and Mimi took advantage of the fine weather last week to have a splash party in the pool in front of the Black Bear Enclosure.

Gus and Yona have a little fun splashing about in the pool (3/20/12).

Gus, who is usually reluctant to get even his feet wet, was up to his neck in the cool water mixing it up with Mimi. The water in the photo below is well over either of their heads.

Gus (right) and Mimi have a fun time splashing each other (3/20/12).

Looks like fun!

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